Portable combination hammock and tent.



E. B. MEREDITH PORTABLE COMBINATION HAMMOGK AND TENT.

APPLIOATION IILBi) 11.23, 1908.

967, 949, Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLIOTT BENGER MEREDITH, OF FOREST DEPOT, VIRGINIA.

PORTABLE COMBINATION HAMMOCK AND TENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIOTT BENGER MER- EDITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forest Depot, in the county of Bedford and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Combination Hammocks and Tents, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable combination hammocks and tents, and the result attained by following the invention, as herein disclosed, is a hammock and shelter which is simple and compact in construction; which may be conveniently set up and disassembled; and which will afford a stable and comfortable bed and shelter.

Generally stated, the invention contemplates a hammock-section which is so sus pended as to be substantially horizontal 01' flat and so tensioned as to be taut and stable, so that the occupant may assume a natural recumbent position thereon; said hammock section being so combined with a tent section or shelter that the occupant will be com pletely protected; provision being made for holding the tent section in tensioned condition to shed moisture more effectively, or for leaving it in loose or partially uncovered position, as may be desired.

In the drawings herewith I have illus trated one embodiment of my invention, and that the best now known to me, and in said drawings Figure 1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of my invention, the tent section may be broken away at one side to illustrate the fastenings. Fig. 2 is a side View of the hammock section with the tent removed. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views of the suspending devices for the hammock section. Figs. 6 and 7 are front and side views respectively, of the cleat blocks for the suspension ropes.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, like numbers indicating like or equivalent parts in the several views, 2 designates a hammock-section which is of any desired dimensions, and of any suitable material, canvas being ordinarily used. The said hammock-section 2 is provided at each end with pockets 3, conveniently made by turning over the material of which the section is made and stitching it to the body of the fabric. In the pockets 3, thus formed, are spreaders 4, which are preferably formed of wood of convenient size and length so that Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 23, 1908.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910. Serial No. 422,833.

they may be slipped within the pockets 3 and housed therein. These spreaders4form the supports for the suspension ropes 5, the ropes being preferably secured to the spreaders in the manner shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, by means of cleat blocks (3, (see Figs. 6 and 7 which are provided with rope receiving eyes, through which the ends of the suspension ropes 5 pass, after taking a turn around the spreader 4, as shown, and preferably, these cleat blocks and the rope ends lie within cut-away sections 7 in the ends of the hammock section 2, as shown. I11 order to prevent slipping of the cleat blocks and suspension rope the cleat block is preferably provided with an outwardly projecting spur 8 whichwill bite into the underside of the spreader 4, and maintain the ends of the suspension rope in proper position. The projecting spur S of the cleat block will likewise act to hold the spreader 4 against any tendency for endwise movement within the pocket.

The suspension ropes 5 may be of any desired length and are, of course, designed to act in the usual manner, passing around suitable fixed supports 9, as shown, and I preferably provide one of the suspension ropes 5 with a block 10, loosely threaded upon the rope, so that in slinging the hammock between trees considerable distance apart, a suspension rope may be rove through the block, and the hammock slung in this fashion, without the necessity of disturbing the suspension ropes 5.

In order that the hammoclcsection just described may be held in a stable condition and danger of tipping or wabbling overcome, I provide guy ropes 11, preferably two at each end these ropes being secured centrally beneath the hammock-section 2, to ground peg 12, the ends of these ropes pass ing through eyes 13 in the cleat block 6, and being provided with take-ups 14, so that the guy ropes may be drawn taut or adjusted as may be desired. It will be observed that by setting up these guy ropes 11 the hammocksection 2 will be drawn downwardly and tensioned, the strain of the guy ropes l1 opposing the strain of the suspension ropes 5, and therefore imparting a rigidity and stability to the hammock-section, which renders it steady and comfortable for the occupant.

The hammock-section just described is covered by means of a tent-section or shelter 15, which is suspended directly above the hammock-section 2, means of a rope stretched between the supports at a suitable height,- said rope 16 passing through the ridge pocket 17 in the tent-section, thereby supporting the tent so that its side wings 18 fall naturally upon either side of the hammock. These side wings may be thrown back, or allowed to fall loosely in clear weather, for warmth and as a guard against falling dew, but in event of rainy weather and to insure shedding of the water, the wings 18 are preferably drawn taut, by means of guy ropes 19, one at each corner, which guy ropes engage ground pegs suitably placed, to properly-tension these guy ropes. Preferably the tent wings 18 are provided wit-h fastening hooks 20 of suitable character which engage rings 21 at the edges of the hammock-section 2, so that a completely inclosed shelter is provided; the ends of the tent-section being closed by suitable flies 22, provided with suitable fastening hooks or eyes 23, the flies 22 being secured at their lower ends to the hammock-section by the hook-and-ring arrangement described in connection with the wings; andin order that a smooth exterior may be secured the flies are provided at their bottom with cutout portions 24, to receive the suspension ropes 5, as shown in Fig. 1.

Preferably, in order to guard against the v entrance of moisture to the tent-section, due

to the water creeping along the tent-suspending rope 16,.I provide said rope with waterstops 25, located one at each end of the tentsection just outside the tent, the effect of this water-stop being to turn the water running along the suspending rope 16 and prevent its entering the tent-section and dropping down upon the occupant, and while I have shown but one of these stops at each end of the tent, which will ordinarily be sufficient,

itwill be understood that they may be duplicated, if desired, until a suflicient number is provided for effectively turning the water.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the construction herein shown without departing from 'my invention and I do not, therefore, limit myself to the details of this disclosure, except so far as vI am limited by the prior art to which the invention belongs.

I claim: p

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, 7 a hammock-section having end-pockets, spreaders in said pockets, cleatblocks, suspension ropes for securing said cleat blocks in facial contact with the Spreaders, said ropes supporting the hammock, and tying-down ropes engaging said blocks to steady said hammock, said blocks having means engaging said spreaders for preventing relative movement of blocks and spreaders, whereby said Spreaders, supporting ropes and tying-down ropes are held in position and against relative movement.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a suspended hammock-section, independent and adjustable tensioning means therefor, and a suspended tent-section above said hammock section having independent tensioning means therefor, said tent-section being connectible to the hammock-section, said connection placing the tent-section under the action of the tensioning means for the hammock-section.

8. In a device of the class described, in combination, a hammock-section, rigid spreaders at the ends thereof, end suspension-ropes secured to said spreaders, depending tensioning-ropes secured to said spreaders, an independent tent-section having a ridge-pocket, a suspension rope traversing said ridge-pocket, and downwardly tensioning ropes secured to said tent-section.

4:. In a device of the class described, in combination, a suspended hammock-section, a tent-section suspended above and inclosing said hammock-section, said tent-section being suspended independently of the hammock-section, and means for detachably connecting the side wings of said tent-section to the edges of said hammock-section.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination, a suspended and tensioned hammock-section, a tent-section above said hammock section and adapted to completely inclose said hammock, means for suspending said tent-section independently of the hammock-section, said means providing a tension control of the tent-section, wing-securing rings on the opposite edges of said hammock-section to which the side-wings of said tent-section are attached, fiy-sections at the ends of said tent-section, and means for detachably connecting the fly-sections together.

I11 testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELLIOTT BENGER MEREDITH.

Witnesses J. F. HAWKINS, WM. E. MUTTER. 

